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(No Model.)

- J. F. VANDYKE.

RELEASING DEVICE No. 345,556. Patented July 13, 1886.

m mwfoi/ 14/221 ed.

7703 .Attorneys WITNESSES I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES F. VANDYKE, or ANDERSON, INDIANA.

RELeAsme;per/ eer],

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,556, dated July 13,1886.

. Application filed May 21, 1886. Serial No. 202,885. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. VANDYKE, of Anderson, in the countyof-Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Releasing Devices; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention has for its object the prompt and easy release or detachingfrom the hitching device of any number of horses or cattle, all by asingle action, as is often desirable in case of fire; and it consists ina simple and very efficient device, which will be readily understoodfrom the following description.

Figure 1 illustrates my improved devices sufficiently to make theinvention clear, the same being shown applied to a manger, thehitching-jaws being closed. Fig. 2 shows two pairs of the jaws whenseparated or open, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal central section through onepair of jaws.

A. is a piece of board or scantling, which may be of any desired length,according to the size of the barn or stable, or to the number of animalsto be hitched in line when fastened in the stable or in their stalls;and, if desired, this piece may have other similar pieces placed in linewith it to any needed distance, as my device is applicable for theunhitching of several hundred animals simultaneously. This piece A mayeither be fixedly secured to the top of the manger, extending the fulllength of the manger or mangers, or the top of the manger may, ifdesired, be itself utilized, instead of such piece, as the base orsupport for the other parts of my device, which are as follows:

Bis a slide-bar of any length desired, adapted to be moved lengthwisealong the piece A, or

along the top of the manger or other part of the barn or stable to whichmy device may be applied. This slide bar or rod B should be long enoughto have one end extend through the wall of the building, so that itshall be accessible to and may be operated by a person outside suchbuilding, so that there shall be no need of his entering the same incase of fire for the purpose of unhitching the animals to set them free.Each of these parts A and B has secured or bolted to it other pieces, 0or D, respectively, and the slide bar or rod B, which carries the piecesD, slides through holes or niortises made in the stationary pieces 0, sothat when the bar B is moved in one direction it shall bring. theprojecting or hooked end 6 of each of the pieces 0 into contact or closeproximity to the corresponding projection or hooked end,f,'of each ofthe pieces D, and thus serve to hold securely a ring, G, or any kindreddevice. To each of these ringsa halter or other strap, chain, or rope bywhich the animal is to be fastened is readily tied or secured, and whenthis slidebar B is moved back it serves to release all the animals atonce by separating each pair of pieces 0 D from each other and thusletting the ring fall.

As asimple means for operating the slidebar I employ a lever, H, whichat one extremity may be pivoted or fulcrumed at i to any fixed piece orobject outside of the barn, and it is also pivoted to this slide-rod. Byworking the handle or free end of this lever it will be seen that thejaws or hooked ends of the pieces 0 D may be opened or closed by theoperator at will without his entering the barn which may be on fire, andthat the device at all times can be operated to release all the animalsat once for any purpose. The lever may be locked to place in any simpleway-as, for instance, by astop-pin, k,inserted in a hole. It isdesirable that the pieces 0 D project somewhat horizontally, or nearlyso, or project downward from their respective bars or supports, in orderthat the rings may readily drop away from them when the pieces 0 and Dare separated. When the rings are in place and held there by the jaws ef, they may and will remain there permanently until all are designedlyreleased together, and any one or more of the animals can at any time befastened in his stall by tying his halter to the ring G, which remainshanging from thejaws cf of his stall.

I claim- "'1. In a releasing device, the combination, with a series offixed pieces, 0, having jaws or hooked ends, of the slide-rod B, piecesD, device outside the building for operating and secured thereto andhaving jaws or hooked locking the slide and its hooks or jaws, andaends, and the lever H, to move the slide-rod, series of halterrings orkindred devices and thereby to cause the pieces D to engage adapted tobe held by the closed jaws and to 5 the pieces 0, as and for the purposeset forth. drop from the open jaws.

2. In combination, the continuous slide rod or bar B, provided with aseries of pieces, D, JAMES VANDYKE' having each a hooked end or jaw, f,the series Witnesses: of stationary pieces 0, each provided with its WM.F. NEWMAN, 1o hooked end or jaw e, a lever and its stopping ANDREW A.PIERCE.

